Price of Immortality
by DestinyRose09
Summary: Sesshomaru gave Rin a necklace meant to protect her in his short absences. But what happens when it attracts a dangerous foe instead? *feudal era*
1. Prologue

AN: To my dear readers,

Specially if you're waiting for me to update Broken Pieces, I AM SO SORRY but I've been experiencing a serious writer's block for the past few months(pls don't beat me up Dx). It must be related from stress in Nursing school. I have the outline of the story for Broken Pieces but for some reason I'm having a hard time writing it(lack of inspiration? Story getting too old inside my head?) I've been told to start fresh with a short story to get rid of the block and let my imagination flow without planning the story ahead. So here, I'm going to have a little fun!

**_In this fic, Sesshomaru never left Rin to live in Inuyasha's village with Kaede. She grew up while travelling Sesshomaru instead._**

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Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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**Price of Immortality**

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**_Prologue – Strangers Again_**

Rin lay near the campfire quietly, watching the embers of the flames die slowly. Jaken was snoring loudly next to the slumbering Ah-un. She, on the other hand, was absent-mindedly playing with the necklace her Lord had given her few years ago. Instead of a pendant, in its place was a small yet intricately adorned vial. It glowed slightly purple and red in the dark. She continued rolling it between her fingers while waiting for sleep to claim her.

"You are still awake."

Rin jumped slightly at the voice. "My Lord, you're back!" She stood up and gave him a slight bow.

Sesshomaru watched her pensively. _She grew another inch._ His face did not betray his surprise; he remained stoic. Her height almost reached his shoulders, and her slender form is now accompanied with graceful and fluid movements. Gone was the girl who moved clumsily and ran towards him with enthusiasm whenever he returns from his short excursions. There were numerous other small changes in her behaviour which he chose never to mention… like her silence and her sudden lack of interest in fields of flowers which she used to love so much.

He knew that change was to come, but he did not expect it so soon. Everything began on her 16th summer, and still seems to be not over yet. She is changing and growing so quick in his eyes, as all humans do, but he could not get rid of his feelings of apprehension. In his long demon life, he never had to watch someone bud from a small, active brat into…. this woman.

This girl was no longer the Rin he rescued as a child. _This woman was a stranger to him._

"I apologize. It's just that I couldn't sleep for some reason." Rin straightened her kimono and stared at her Lord, unaware of his thoughts. He was looking at her… or _staring, _and it made her nervous. He was always the same; from the moment she met him up to this day… to this moment. Stoic, powerful, perfect and magnificent. But _something changed. _And she long ago realized that it was her **perspective**; Seeing her Lord with her unsullied child eyes, and then seeing him now with maturity. When she was a child, she expressed herself so much to her lord to show her unadulterated adoration. She was loud, chatty and carefree. And then… she learned what _shame _was. She became shy and started to unconsciously pick up a lot of traits from her Lord, such as his silence. She no longer talked to him about things she found interesting because of her fear that it would bore her master.

But HE never talked to her about anything anyway unless it involves asking how she "fared" in his absences. He scarcely talked, and as a result, she only knew things that she experienced with him such as the incident with Naraku years ago. She never knew what he thought of her. Or shared anything special or personal with her. Which made her realize that her Lord, despite knowing that he was brave, fearless and ultimately powerful,_ remains a stranger to her._

"How was your travel, my lord?" She smiled genuinely.

Sesshomaru blinked. _He recognized that smile. _He looked away, the evening wind slightly blowing his silver hair to the side. "It was uneventful." He proceeded to walk and sit against a tree.

Rin sat back down near the dying campfire and stoked it with dried pieces of wood. Sparks of embers flew above it, reminding her of fireflies. As she expected he didn't want to talk about where he had been. She remembered badgering him about his disappearances when she was younger, and she bit her lip, feeling embarrassed. She must've annoyed him so bad back then.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes. He subconsciously expected her to keep asking. For her to sit down next to him, pull his sleeves and keep bothering him until he ordered her to behave. He opened his eyes and saw Rin busily trying to rekindle the dying flames and seemed to be unaffected by his lack of answer. He closed his eyes once again.

_They were strangers indeed._

_~o~O~o~_

If you're wondering what the necklace looks like, look at the fic cover picture. Yes, this is going to be a short fic! Like 5 chapters hopefully, but LONG. As _long(5k-6k words)_ as my former chapters in Twilight's Embrace. For this fic I decided to start with a **clean slate.** Rin is not in love with Sesshomaru yet, and of course Sesshomaru is not in love with her (yet!) She just started growing up!

SO WATCH HOW THEY FALL IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER :D


	2. Chapter 1 - Kuroi Shi

AN: Okay…. I decided to just split this long chapter so I can update frequently instead of bombarding you guys with a HUGE chapter and making you wait for a week or so. I split the chapter in half and will upload the rest ASAP. Stay tuned!

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**Chapter 1 – Kuroi Shi**

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**_L_**ord Sesshomaru's nose twitched slightly in disgust as the assortment of strong unpleasant smell invaded his senses. It smelled of rotting flesh, various herbs and miasma. Skulls, bones and dried carcasses were hanging from the ceiling. His hand twitched towards his sword the moment he stepped inside the witch's chilly cavern.

_"Ah, Lord Sesshomaru! What a pleasant surprise." _A scratchy, high pitched voice reverberated around the small cave. An old woman wrapped in worn out fur appeared from the other end, her hands hidden inside her cover. Her long hair was greasy and unkempt. She smiled at him wickedly, showing her yellow and missing teeth.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "You knew I was coming here tonight. It is no surprise."

The witch scratched her head. "Ah well. It is still surprising and humbling to see you inside my home." She walked around and grabbed a small red cushion, which she gingerly placed on the floor after dusting it. "Please, have a seat."

"It won't be necessary."

Her eyes flashed dangerously. "In order for me to help you, you WILL sit."

They stared at each other coldly. Sesshomaru contemplated finishing the old witch right then and there. But seeing the resolution in her black eyes and her strange confidence to use that tone with him, he reconsidered. He walked past her, removed his swords and placed it next to him as he sat down.

The witch followed and sat right across from him and blew into her hands to warm them up.

"How bad is it?" She queried while rubbing her hands together and staring on the floor.

"It has spread since the encounter." He answered.

The witch sighed. "Lord Sesshomaru, I will need to see it."

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was rather uncomfortable, but he had no choice. There was no one else that could provide him the answers he needed but this unsightly being.

He started undoing his armor clasp and placed it with his swords. He dropped the right side of his kimono and pulled his hand from the sleeve. He stared at the witch stonily.

The witch crawled closer and observed him like a hawk. She noticed that he had no fear in his eyes, despite the fact that he was carrying such a burden. A part of his shoulder was completely black, and the area around it was darkening slowly… beginning to extend towards his chest and back. _What a shame. And he had such wonderful skin._

"How is the pain treating you?" She then proceeded to gently touch the blackened area with her forefinger.

Sesshomaru's eyes quickly turned red as he jerked away from her, baring his fangs and claws. The pain was so intense at her touch that he dropped on his knees after his sudden movement. White lights flashed in front of his eyes. He closed them once again to focus, ridding himself of the slowly ebbing pain. When he looked at the witch again few minutes later, her hands were raised as a sign that she did not mean any harm.

Sesshomaru sat once again and calmly tried to catch his breath. For the past few days, he hid his pain well… from Jaken and from Rin. No one noticed. No one knew but him.

The witch shook her head in disapproval. He's in pain alright. A crippling one. And yet, he walked in here as if nothing was bothering him. Only _he _could do that. "Kuroi Shi. _The black death of demons._ Caused only by a tainted demon from the underworld. Just a scratch from them will corrupt your demon body. It spreads slowly, painfully, until it reaches your heart. Then it starts to devour your demon vortex, which means death for you. Did you know this Lord Sesshomaru?"

He snarled. "I was told. You are not the first I sought for answers. They all told me how I will perish from this but not how to rid of myself of this corruption. I have no intention of dying anytime soon."

The witch began to laugh maniacally. So hard, that she was bent over and banging the floor with her fists. Her beady eyes were tearing up. Those he sought _knew _the answer on how to cure him, yet they refrained from telling him because either they want Lord Sesshomaru to die, or they fear that when they tell him, the merciless ice prince will kill them in anger anyway.

"If you don't stop that, I will kill you."

The witch raised her head and saw Sesshomaru's claws extended, dripping with green acid burning the floor. His face was calm, but in his eyes was fury.

"I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you milord. I will tell you how to stop the corruption from spreading. It is quite simple really. All you need is _a human soul. _Kuroi Shi only _destroys demons_. If you absorb a human soul, it will stop the corruption, and the disease will dissipate in a few months along with the pain."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly. He was horrified. He remembered the dead priestess made of clay who absorbed human souls to keep herself alive. The one who impaled his pathetic hanyou brother to a tree. _This is ridiculous! _"You want me… to absorb human souls?" His nails dug through his hand when he made a fist.

"Just one soul milord. It will NOT affect you in anyway, I promise you that. You will remain a demon, you won't turn into a human if that's what you're worried about." She laughed, but seeing Sesshomaru glaring death at her, she stopped abruptly and cleared her throat.  
"…You won't even notice it. You will only be a vessel to the soul. But it will protect you and heal you. After you are healed, you can remove it from your body. OR wait for your youki to destroy the human soul within you."

Sesshomaru was seething inside. Even then, having some… _human's soul _inside of him was vexing. _And to protect him?! _It was disgusting and humiliating.

"You want to live, right Lord Sesshomaru?"

He glared at the witch.

"Then ignore your pride for a moment and let me cure you_. _I believe you have companions who need their master alive."

He placed his hand inside his kimono sleeve, then grabbed his armor and fastened it back to his body. He also took his swords as he stood up.  
The witch followed him with her eyes waiting for an answer.

Sesshomaru still had many things to accomplish before he let death takes its course. Not now. "How?"

The witch smiled. "Return to me on the third moon after tonight, and I will have a suitable soul for you."

o~O~o

"HMPH! Lord Sesshomaru always leaves us. WHY?! WHY not leave Rin and bring me along instead?!" Jaken wailed while pulling Au-Un's reins. The moonlight guided their way through the treacherous valley.

"Jaken, why don't you complain to Lord Sesshomaru then?" Rin sat side saddled on Ah-un, while combing her hair with a pretty shell.

Jaken stopped walking and glared at the woman on the two headed dragon. "I will! But maybe the reason Lord Sesshomaru leaves us so often is because of YOU!"

Rin froze mid-combing her long hair. "What? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"OH come on! I know you've noticed, but Lord Sesshomaru has no idea how to handle you now! You've grown, you're a woman now. You're not the same! He is confused on what to do with you, and frankly… SO AM I! Maybe he's been trying to find you a suitable village to live in, where we could leave you so you can live your short human life with a mediocre human husband!"

Rin gasped. She opened her mouth to answer, but she couldn't say anything. She wanted to say she was bound to her Lord, that she was meant to follow and serve him forever like she always wanted but… what _if _Sesshomaru's wish is for her to stay in a village? She could not say no and defy him. Not again. She will NOT be a burden. Would it be best for her if she tried to live a new life without her Lord?

"RIN!" Jaken yelled, trying to catch her attention.

"If that what Lord Sesshomaru wishes, then so be it." She answered softly. Yes, maybe starting new wouldn't hurt.

Jaken sighed. He knew she would say that, but he couldn't help but _want _Rin to fight with him. To tell him that she will stay forever. But she changed. He hated to admit it but Rin was now more mature than him.

"Jaken, can we hurry now? This place gives me the creeps." She glanced up and saw two bird demons circling each other but strangely avoiding them... a tasty human and a wrinkled old demon for dessert. _Yes, they shouldn't stay here any_ longer.

Unconsciously she reached for her necklace for comfort.

Then suddenly, her breath was knocked out from her when she felt something wrap around her waist tightly. She was forced backwards then hurled forward. She screamed while hearing Jaken's panicked scream yelling her name. But his screechy voice was fading away fast.

"KYAAA! LET ME GO!" She screamed at her assailant who carried her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and running so fast everything around her was blurred.

"Stop screaming you're hurting my ears."

"WHO ARE YOU?!" She yelled, trying to push herself away from him hoping that he will drop her.

"The name is Kyousuke. Pleasantries later, for now go to sleep."

Rin was about to protest but felt a force behind her neck. Then everything blacked out.


	3. Chapter 2 - Conundrum

**Chapter 3- Conundrum**

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Jaken paced back and forth quickly, terrified. He remained in the exact same spot where Rin was taken. He tried to remember what the person who took Rin looked like, but he moved too fast! All he saw was a blur. Now what in the world would he tell Lord Sesshomaru?! That someone abducted Rin again, only this time he had no idea who he is or what he looked like._ Lord Sesshomaru will kill me! _Jaken kicked a rock so hard in frustration, but ended up howling in pain and rolling on the ground while hugging his throbbing feet.

"Jaken."

The kappa froze, and the hair on the back of his neck stood in fear after hearing the voice of his master.

He quickly rose and threw himself in front of Sesshomaru's feet. "Y-y-yes Milord!"

Sesshomaru stared at his vassal coldly. "Where is Rin?"

Jaken gulped. "S-she was ab-ducted! PLEASE FORGIVE ME for not being able to do anything! I promise you I'll find her even if it costs me my own life!"

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. Someone was bold enough to deliberately challenge him. He inhaled, and picked up a faint yet particularly familiar scent.

"Kyousuke." He whispered irately before he walked away and vanished in the mist, leaving Jaken dumbfounded.

~o~O~o~

Rin woke up groggily. She rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up, trying to remember what happened.

"Finally awake, I see."

She jumped in surprise, seeing the person who kidnapped her sitting on the edge of her tatami bed. In his hand, he held her necklace and seemed to be…. Toying with it.

"Hey! That's mine! Give it back!" She piped up.

He rolled his green eyes. "I was going to return it. Here." He tossed it to her and Rin caught it gingerly between her hands. She scowled at the man while putting the accessory around her neck. _What does he want? Who is he? _She had never seen him before. The man was tall and slender who had medium length, midnight dark hair tucked behind his ears. His eyes were strikingly green with a speck of gold underneath them. One corner of his mouth was turned into a crooked smile. _He was amused!_

"Your name is Rin, right? I heard so much about you." He winked deviously.

"From who?!"

"Well I have my sources." He cleared his throat. "You do know that necklace contains Sesshomaru's blood right?"

That caught her off guard. "What?" She looked down automatically and stared at the small purple vial.

"It's to ward off lowly demons from attacking you or anyone near you. Any demon could sense his powerful blood from miles away. Since Naraku's defeat, he was deemed as the most powerful demon in this era and other demons fear him. He is utilizing their fear to protect you, hence the necklace. No one would dare to hurt or come near you knowing that you have _his _protection."

Rin contemplated what he said. Lord Sesshomaru gave her the necklace and told her to wear it all the time. But he said nothing about the… blood.

Her eyes suddenly narrowed at the man. "And you are foolish enough to challenge him? He'll come and save me then rip you apart!"

He laughed. "No I don't think so. You're here because I'm going to tell you how to save Sesshomaru. _Your Lord is dying and you have no idea_."

She gasped. "What?! What in the world are you talking about?!" _This man is crazy._

He rubbed his nonexistent beard. "Maybe first I should introduce myself. My name is Kyousuke and I'm a dark priest. A few weeks ago Sesshomaru came here looking for me. He was searching for a cure for an injury he acquired while in the underworld. I have no idea what he was doing there in the first place, but I didn't care."

Rin swallowed uncomfortably, her breath shallow. She knew in her guts that her Lord was hiding something and she ignored the feeling. He was ALWAYS hiding something from them.

His eyes darkened and he leaned towards Rin. "To sum it all up, his body has been corrupted. It will spread havoc in his body, causing him intense pain then killing him in the end. Even a powerful demon like him won't be able to do anything. At the time of his visit here, I told him it had _no cure _and he should live his life to the fullest before he dies."

Rin was horrified. She stood up, her frame shaking. "No. Not Lord Sesshomaru. He can't die!" She screamed. There was no way… he hadn't survived this long and lived through what they went through just to be killed by something like this.

Kyousuke sighed. "Calm down. That's why you're here. You're going to help him live through this. With your help he will heal. I've found out something."

She practically threw herself in front of Kyousuke, which surprised him. "How can I help him?!"

Slowly he reached down and held her face. "Your soul, Rin." He whispered.

She drew away from his touch, her eyes widening even more. "My… soul?"

"It sounds extreme, but really it's nothing. You lend him a part of your soul and it will protect him from the disease. His body will slowly heal. Once he is healed, he may return your soul and it's as if nothing ever happened. However your soul _needs to be returned within 90 days_, or else **his body, his youki** will destroy it."

She didn't need to think twice. Of course she will do anything for her Lord. For him to get better. "Okay. I'll do it. What do I do? How do I-"

Kyousuke held a hand up to silence her. "I am not only here to tell you that you can help your Lord. I wanted to offer you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Rin stared at him questioningly. What else can he…

"A chance that you could have a lifespan of a demon as well. An immortal life."

The sound of faint wind chimes resonated from a nearby window.

Rin's expression was blank. She was speechless. "Why? Why would I want that?" She whispered.

Kyousuke crossed his arms. "Be honest with me, Rin. Didn't you wish you could live as long as your Lord at some point?"

Rin looked away and closed her eyes. One particular memory returned to her… it was so long ago, and yet she remembered it as if it was yesterday.

**~Flashback~**

Little Rin and Jaken were camping for the night and roasting the sweet potatoes she pulled from the ground after running away from a band of strange monks.  
"Say Master Jaken." She asked while warming her hands on the campfire.

"Yes?"

"After he defeats Naraku, then what do you think Lord Sesshomaru is going to do?"

Jaken held a lizard on a stick, struggling to keep it upright near the flames. "You probably don't know about this, but Lord Sesshomaru has long been in search for personal power. He will undoubtedly become the greatest demon of all time and will reign over his own empire. When that happens, I will become the empire's chief minister!" He then proceeded to try to eat his roasted lizard, but burned his mouth.

"Master Jaken. This empire of Lord Sesshomaru's…. what position do you think I might have in it?"

Jaken stared at her in shock. "You mean you intend to follow us up until then?"

Little Rin rose and grabbed the kappa's shoulders. "Why is something wrong with that?!"

Jaken crossed his arms and glared at her. "Lord Sesshomaru is strong, but who knows how long it will take to create the empire. To us demons, a 100 years is nothing at all. But to you humans, time is everything. By the time the Lord's empire is created, you'll be looong gone."

Rin looked away dejectedly, realizing what it meant. "That will happen. I will die."

**~End of flashback~**

And that night she remembered that she couldn't sleep. She believed that somehow she can stay with Sesshomaru forever and ever.  
But that won't happen because she's a mortal.

But did she fear death more than having a place in Sesshomaru's empire?

The truth was… she did.

For a person who already died twice, one would think that she won't be afraid of it anymore. On the contrary, she was terrified. She still had nightmares about what it was like after death. Her fear was from not remembering anything but emptiness… the fact that she does not exist. And the process of death itself. She preferred very much if she could live and be around when her Lord has fulfilled his dreams. And maybe if she had a longer lifespan, her Lord wouldn't subject her to live in some human village.

"Well… Rin? Do you want to live as long as your Lord so you could serve him indefinitely?" Kyousuke asked seeing that in few minutes that she was silent, she had formed a resolution.

Determined eyes stared into his. "Yes."

He smiled and stood up, holding out his hand for her to grab. "Follow me and I will explain it to you."

~o~O~o~

Sesshomaru stood in the middle of the forest lit with hundreds of fireflies. Blue orchids and vines hung from the tall trees and a seemingly ethereal lake on his left were filled with the sound of frogs and crickets. He was staring at a wide, empty area impatiently, _where the trace of Rin's scent vanished and where Kyousuke's fortress was supposed to be. _Sesshomaru knew that the dark priest must have put up a barrier. He could sense it.

A sharp pain shot up his right shoulder and he flinched. He bit his inner lip so hard until he tasted blood, as he concentrated to numb the pain to no avail. His amber eyes flashed in anger. Once the pain receded somewhat, he stared at the field again thinking of ways he could destroy the barrier and take Rin back.

~o~O~o~

Kyousuke led Rin in the hallway lit with torches into a huge, indoor…. Garden?

Rin looked around in wonder and surprise. In the corner was a reasonably sized waterfall but the water was strangely green. Leaves floated on the fluorescent liquid pooling. She realized that it was still dusk, seeing the moon high up in the sky. Near the eerie waterfall was a small table with _two _medium glass flasks. They were ornately decorated just like the vial of her necklace. One was empty… and the other contained a vibrant white fluid.

Kyousuke led her to sit in front of the table. He sat across from her.

He raised an empty flask and pulled the glass cork. "Sesshomaru needs your soul in his body in order to rid himself of the corruption. This can be beneficial for you because I can tap your soul into absorbing some of his demonic energy that will extend your life. So when he returns your soul after he is healed, he will _share _his lifespan with you.

Rin nodded.

Then he placed the empty flask back on the table. "I plan to remove half of your soul and that is the piece you need to give to your Lord. The other half will remain in you, and it cannot be removed because you will die, obviously."

Rin gulped, but listened attentively while watching him pick up the white vial.

"Our concern is that once the soul with Sesshomaru's demon energy is returned to you, the soul that remains in your body will reject it. Full human and demon energy never mixes well. Again, it will mean death for you."

Rin's forehead crinkled. "Then I can't share his lifespan because the other half of my soul will reject it."

"Not necessarily." Kyousuke opened the white flask. He withrew a knife from his kimono and slashed his finger open. He let a drop of his blood go into the flask. Rapidly, the white liquid turned into dark red color, swirling in the container before it settled down.

"This is a rare, **pure poison**. You MUST drink this at the same time Sesshomaru consumes your soul. It's designed to slowly kill _you and the soul_ inside your body in, guess how long again. _90 days_. So while the other half of your soul inside Sesshomaru absorbs life, the one inside you will be slowly killed. And once Sesshomaru returns your soul, there is absolutely no chance for rejection, and you will live a long life."

Rin needed a moment to absorb what she just heard. Her eyes were unmoving in shock. "That's… suicide." She whispered.

"Technically it is. But you don't have to worry. The soul you lost will be replaced with the demonic energy and you'll also have the part of your soul back."

"But what you're telling me… killing half my soul which means killing myself and having Lord Sesshomaru hold the only soul I have is-" Rin's voice was slowly rising in hysteria, but Kyousuke cut her off.

His eyes hardened. "IS the _Price of Immortality_, Rin. It's not easy but it is worth it in the long run."

"If Lord Sesshomaru doesn't return my soul on the 90th day, then his body will destroy my remaining soul, and then-"

"It means you'll die from the poison Rin. But you trust your Lord, am I right? He would never hurt you intentionally or selfishly. You have been his companion for so long. I do not know your relationship with him, but I do know that you are important to him. He owes you for lending him your soul."

Rin nodded slowly. "But how do I tell him about this immortality thing!"

Kyousuke raised an eyebrow. "He does not need to know anything. All he needs to know is that you are helping him be rid of his injury. You can surprise him on the 90th day after the trade. And tell him that thanks to him, you are no longer bound by your short human lifespan."

Rin tried to control her rapid breathing. "I see. Okay. But without half of my soul not to mention the one I'll have is going to dissipate… what am I going to feel?"

He placed the red flask back on the table. "Depression. Some sort of emptiness. But these discomforts can be resolved by staying _near_ the other half of your soul. You may tell Sesshomaru that. Make him stop leaving you for his short excursions, and stay with you for the duration for his treatment for your sake."

"And the poison? How will it affect me?"

Kyousuke stood up. "As the poison works its way, you will feel pain occasionally in the beginning and will get worse as the 90th day approaches. There will be symptoms of illness. Expect it."

She glared at him. "And how do you expect me to hide that I'm dying from Lord Sesshomaru?!"

"I don't. You will explain what truly occurred. He will understand. He will give your soul back because by the time the poison has progressed enough for him to sense that something is wrong with you, he will already be healed from the corruption." Once again he held out his hand. "I have told you everything you need to know, are you ready?"

Rin stood up and backed away from him. "Wait! I need time to think!" She was confused and felt overwhelmed from all the information. Who wouldn't be? There was too much fear, doubts and confusion…

"Your Lord approaches. When he gets through my barrier, we won't be able to do anything. It's now or never, Rin." He said stonily.

"But…"

"Do you trust him, Rin?"

"BUT I…"

"ANSWER!" He pushed.

Rin flinched. "YES! YES I DO!" _Fine! She'll do this! Not only for Lord Sesshomaru but for herself._

Kyousuke smiled and pushed her into the green water.

She made a huge splash and sank down, and yelled at him when her head reached the surface. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" But then she saw that he was chanting as he threw a strange branch on the water where she was submerged. She suddenly felt numb and cold all over. She lost control of her body as her eyes glassed over. Blue, spiral energy erupted from her and parts of it soared towards Kyousuke. He continued to chant and the fragment of soul went inside the open, empty glass flask he held in his hand.

He closed it, then smiled darkly in satisfaction.

~o~O~o~

_"Master Kyousuke. You sent the girl back?" Keito, Kyousuke's vassal has entered, and saw his master watching a tall mirror attached to a wide, oak tree. He walked closer to him and saw the image of a young girl running through the forest from its reflection._

_"Shhhh. Be quiet Keito. I'm watching." Kyousuke stifled a laugh._

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin called, running through the field of fireflies lighting the forest.

Sesshomaru turned around and watched her run towards him, albeit without emotion on his face but inside he was relieved. He assessed her form, inhaled her scent… making sure that she was not hurt in anyway.

She stopped in front of him breathing heavily, her hands on her knees. She cleared her throat, looked up and stared at her Lord straight in his eyes.

"What happened?"

Rin, still breathing heavily, pulled out the blue flask from inside her kimono. She held the flask towards him. "Take and use it my Lord. Please?"

Sesshomaru took a step back in surprise as he stared at the glowing element inside the flask. It was blue, lively and pure**. Rin's soul.**

_Kyousuke laughed while watching Sesshomaru's reaction at seeing part of the girl's soul outside her body._

_"Lord Kyousuke, what exactly did you do? Why are you helping them? I thought we were searching for Sesshomaru to __**kill him**__ in his weakened state?" Keito shook his head disapprovingly. They were tracing Sesshomaru and found her instead. Keito remembered his Master's eyes has widened in surprise, then in realization as some sort of a diabolical plan formed in his mind. He wasted no time in taking the girl._

_"Simple. I changed my plan. I made it better."_

"You… how did you… RIN!" For the first time in his life he was flabbergasted. Sesshomaru was staring at the soul that Rin literally held in her hand.

She smiled. "Don't worry my lord I am fine. I found out about your trouble, and I want to help. In this vial is _half _of my soul, that's why I am still alive. You can "borrow" this and return it to me when you're healed…. Hopefully in 90 days, ne?"

Sesshomaru stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders. His eyes glinted in malice. "Did Kyousuke hurt you in anyway?"

Rin shook her head. "He meant to find you but he ended up finding me and Jaken instead. Then he took me so he can tell me how to help you."

Sesshomaru still looked unrelieved by her explanation. In fact she could see that he was still angry. However she saw signs of weariness in her Lord. There were slight circles under his eyes and his movements were too careful. She remembered that he was in constant pain but somehow managed to keep a perfect façade. That is so typical of her Lord.  
Her eyes started watering, tears threatening to spill. "Please my Lord let ME help you! You can't die yet." She fell on her knees, the flask falling on the ground as she covered her face.

Sesshomaru was taken aback. She looked so desperate and hurt. She still cared for him then? He wanted to tell her that he found a witch who will give him a human soul… but the _prospect_ of having a stranger's human soul inside of him was suddenly very unappealing. If he were to choose… he would rather have…

Sesshomaru sat in front of Rin and pried her hands off her face. His heart clenched at seeing her tear stricken face. He grabbed the flask from the ground and held it.

"_I forgot to tell Rin something before she left. Something important." Kyousuke watched Sesshomaru intensely as the demon dog picked up the blue flask._

Rin watched Sesshomaru open the flask, his amber eyes hard and focused on her. At this action she smiled, and she pulled out the red flask of liquid from her kimono.

Sesshomaru stared at it curiously and questioned her silently.

Rin wiped her eyes and gave him a blinding smile. "This is meant to keep me safe and stable while I'm missing half of my soul." She lied smoothly. She was probably the only person in the world that could lie to him without being caught red-handed.

_"What did you omit from telling the girl, Master?" Keito asked._

"Rin, I…" Sesshomaru turned to look away from her. "Thank you." He whispered silently.

Rin reddened. "It's nothing!" She raised her vial and clinked it to Sesshomaru's. "Kampai! For Lord Sesshomaru's health!"

_Kyousuke tucked a stray hair behind his ear. "I did not tell her that on the 90__th__ day, her soul would've already absorbed __**ALL **__of Sesshomaru's __**life energy**__. If he wants to live, he needs to keep Rin's soul and let his body destroy it, reabsorbing his life energy once again. Because when Rin's soul is removed from inside his body, __**Sesshomaru will **__**DIE**__."_

Sesshomaru ignored her antics and tipped the vial into his mouth. He tasted nothing but warmth coursing through his throat then inside his injury. Instantly, the pain that had been bothering him was dulled.

Rin stared at her flask, gathering her courage, then she removed the glass cork and drank the red poison. **So that she could live forever with her Lord.**

_"When Sesshomaru chooses to return the soul it its original owner, she will live an immortal life in exchange for his. If Sesshomaru does not return her soul on the 90__th__ day because he may still value his life more then hers, then the girl will die from the poison she drank."_

_Keito bowed, his heart rejoicing and amazed by his Master's plan._

_"What will the Great Dog Demon of the West choose in the end? His life or hers?"_

Rin breathed a sigh of relief after the exchange, completely unaware of what she just subjected herself and her Lord into.

* * *

AN:

Dropped a huge bomb on the 2nd chapter, didn't I? Now you see where this story is heading. Sort of tragic. Sounds familiar? This piece is inspired by my favorite love story of all time!  
Next chapter will have some romance and their relationship will start to blossom (is this a good thing or bad thing for their situation?)  
Tell me what you think! They help me be inspired to write. Until next time my loves!


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